King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
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The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
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A stern vision is told to me; the plunderer plunders, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam, lay siege, O Media; all the sighing she has caused I bring to an end.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
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Therefore my loins are filled with anguish; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman in travail; I am bowed down so that I cannot hear, I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
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My mind reels, horror has appalled me; the twilight I longed for has been turned for me into trembling.
5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
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They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Arise, O princes, oil the shield!
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
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For thus the Lord said to me: "Go, set a watchman, let him announce what he sees.
7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
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When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs, riders on asses, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."
8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
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Then he who saw cried: "Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights.
9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
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And, behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!" And he answered, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the images of her gods he has shattered to the ground."
10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
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O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
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The oracle concerning Dumah. One is calling to me from Se'ir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
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The watchman says: "Morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire; come back again."
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
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The oracle concerning Arabia. In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge, O caravans of De'danites.
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
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To the thirsty bring water, meet the fugitive with bread, O inhabitants of the land of Tema.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
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For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the press of battle.
16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
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For thus the Lord said to me, "Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end;
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.
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and the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken."
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.